Women's Olympic moguls bios

Canadian freestyle moguls skier Jennifer Heil of Edmonton surveys one of the jumps in Sauze, Italy, in preparation for the Turin Olympic Games.

Photograph by: Peter J. Thompson
, CNS files

JENNIFER HEIL

Country: Canada

Birthdate: April 11, 1983

Previous Olympic experience: At the tender age of 18, Heil finished an agonizing one-hundredth of a point off the podium at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Four years later, she won Canada’s first medal — gold in colour —at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Career highlights: Where to begin? In addition to her Olympic gold medal, Jennifer Heil has won a four World Cup titles (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007) and two World Championships (2005 and 2007.)

Quote: “There’s definitely pressure on all the Canadian athletes. But there’s always pressure at the Olympics. That’s what makes it so exciting,” Heil on the challenge ahead in Vancouver.

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AIKO UEMURA

Country: Japan

Birthdate: December 8, 1979

Previous Olympic experience: The Japanese darling of the bumps and jumps is a three-time Olympian on an upward climb towards the podium. She placed seventh in Nagano, sixth in Salt Lake City and fifth in Turin.

Career highlights: A major celebrity in her home country, Uemura won the last four World Cup events in 2008 to capture the overall title. She is expected to dominated the headlines at the 2009 World Championships in Inawashiro, Japan.

Quote: “Aiko won the World Cup Grand Prix last year but without Jenn (Heil) around it does not mean as much. Aiko has the best turn technique on tour and can do a very good off-axis 720 — she used to anyway. We did not see it at all last year,” moguls coach Dominick Gauthier, of Canada, on the top threat to dethrone Jennifer Heil.

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NIKOLA SUDOVA

Country: Czech Republic

Birthdate: March 17, 1982

Previous Olympic experience: Sudova has two trips to the Olympics on her resume. She placed 19th at the Salt Lake City Games and moved up to sixth in Turin.

Career highlights: Sudova finished second in the 2007/08 World Cup standings. She won silver at the 2005 World Championships.

Quote: “Nikola is a bit of a mystery on tour. Nice girl. She does not talk much and that is true to the image of her skiing. — very plain and boring to watch. She manages to often be on the podium by always staying away from big mistakes, “ moguls coach Dominick Gauthier, of Canada.

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MARGARITA MARBLER

Country: Austria

Birthdate: July 16, 1975 in Kamchatka, Russia.

Previous Olympic experience: Marbler has two trips to the five-ring circus on her resume. She placed 10th in Salt Lake City and dropped to 17th in Turin.

Career highlights: Won bronze at the World Championships in 2005 and 2007. Captured gold on a 2007 World Cup stop in Tignes, France. Moved to Austria in 1995 to train with her coach (and husband) Harald Marbler. Won the 2003 World Championship in dual moguls.

Quote: “On the hill Margarita can not find any consistency. She might be on the podium at any week, but could be eighth or ninth the two following races. But you never want to count her out of the podium,” moguls coach Dominick Gauthier, of Canada.

Career highlights: Won the 2007 World Championship in Italy. Ranked fourth on the World Cup circuit in 2008.

Quote: “I have the ability to be very calm in the gate most of the time, and that allows me to focus on the technique and what I need to do to perform my best in the moment,” Richards on the secret to her success.